Nose: a modern profile. Plenty of vanilla custard and cake. Frosties. Hints of sweetened lemon juice and gooseberries. Evolves towards more candied fruits (pineapple cubes) but on the whole it’s not really a fruit bomb. A dollop of honey. Subtle oak, herbs and a few grassy notes as well. Mouth: sweet and juicy. Quite powerful as well, with a profile that echoes much older BenRiachs. Pears, pineapple and pink grapefruit. Some biscuity notes. Towards the end it returns to grass and a tangy herbal / bitter tonic combination that’s less appealing in my opinion. Finish: medium length, still sweet, but with a growing grassiness and soft bitterness.

On the nose I thought I had seen it all before: well-made but nothing special. However on the palate it does surpass the usual, modern, first fill bourbon profile. A nice, affordable daily dram. Around € 65.